Transportation officials say that part of Mississippi’s Highway 57 is closed until further notice after a truck hauling a track hoe crashed into the trusses of a steel bridge, causing major damage to the historic structure.
Hauling Heavy Equipment Leads To Heavy Bridge Damage
The crash happened at 7:30 a.m. on the Red Creek Bridge in Jackson County, Mississippi.
According to a release from the Mississippi Department of Transportation, “a commercial vehicle carrying a track hoe struck the truss section of the bridge and punched holes into the bridge deck.”
During the crash, the track hoe came off of the trailer and crashed onto its side, coming to rest blocking both lanes of the bridge.
No injuries were reported.
Here’s a photo from BridgeHunter.com displaying the clearance and weight limits for the Red Creek Bridge. It isn’t clear precisely what caused the crash or whether the truck driver will be facing a citation for the incident.
According to the Mississippi Highway Patrol’s Chase Elkins, the Red Creek Bridge may be closed until a new structure is built: “What I’m hearing is it is to be closed indefinitely, never opening up again. But MDOT already has plans to build a new bridge over Red Creek.‘
The Red Creek Bridge was built in 1959 and was actually already up for sale by the Mississippi Department of Transportation prior to the crash. According to the Sun Herald, it is common for Mississippi transportation officials to offer up old bridges for sale when they are to be replaced by new structures.
MDOT has asked drivers to avoid the area. Highway 57 between Vestry Road and Berry Road in Jackson County is closed until further notice. Some drivers may face a 50 mile detour until transportation officials can replace the bridge.
You can get up to the minute traffic information from the Mississippi Department of Transportation by clicking here.